In film-based image sensors, a silicon-based switching array is overlaid with a photosensitive film such as a film containing a dispersion of quantum dots (referred to herein as a “quantum film”). The switching array, which can be similar to those used in complementary metal-oxide sandwich (CMOS) image sensors that are known in the art, is coupled by suitable electrodes to the film in order to read out the photocharge that accumulates in each pixel of the film due to incident light.